Reliability of a railway service, as perceived by passengers, is broadly connected with the service's perceived regularity and dependability. Its elements include the probability that the service will operate, its adherence to timetables and scheduled frequencies, and its ability to reach a destination by a stated time. Surveys have shown that reliability is a major factor in a passenger's choice of rail as travel mode. Although railways are increasingly recognising this, the changes that would make it easier to implement a more reliable service directly conflict with the detailed standards and specifications under which railways operate, which are based on the illusion of absolute safety. It is possible to use a systems approach to implement new initiatives, aimed at improving service quality, but only if the railways are prepared to recognise the relevant problems and introduce fundamental changes. The privatisation of British Rail has led to an environment that is increasingly commercially restrained, thus providing policy makers to give due priority to reliability by properly addressing customer dissatisfaction, commercial risk, and safety. A more balanced set of objectives would strengthen the three inter-related components of quality, quantity and financial performance.
Abstract